The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-09-01
EIORY OF A PET DEER.
IA Wjther Doe and Her Pretty
Fawn.

b Wther Doe ana der FreIIy
II Fawn.
Eha1 I was about twelve years old,
hsr and mother lived in a large, old
ajoned farmhouse, situated long
stance from the city, in a beautiful
Ii Of the country. The vine-clad
m down which small streams of
ztr wound. inclosed us in on every
h and less than mile off the tall
Ak kof Q mountain rose up nearly to
kkY.
The farmland which belonged to our
aa was not all under cultivation,
d dense shades Of forest were close
our back door, Game both large
ID small freduented these woods,
here they we're seldom disturbed by
hunla.i being, but were allowed to
pam lhept at liberty. Father was
da huntsman, and he would never
am bis friends. when visiting him,
Hll the poor, half-tame creatures
hich made the woods near the farm
Ouse their home. The sound of gun,
think, was never heard within half a
hHe Of the woods while father owned
BE place; and, as a result of this, the
h creatures soon became so tame
a gentle that they approached close
bMr shouses in the dead of winter,
ben food was scarce, and seemed to
bad for something to eat with their
k hazel eyes.
Ny brother Jim and I would watch
Esm from the porch. and try to coax
e4 closer with soft, gentle words.
bur great ambition was to pat the head
one Of the sleek-looking deer, and
aEe him for playmate, just as we
ID Towser, the dog. But the deer
re the widest creatures of the forest.
hd It was seldom that one of them
approached nearer than three hundred
sms to the house. The rabbits and
ulrreis would even run up on the
bop and under the rose-bushes, and
NE themselves so familiar that they
snsd more like pet kittens than wild
sures. But the deer were very
&rent.
lAese creatures are 30 shy that the
:! scent of human being is otter
ahclent'to make them run away with
VI aud seek the deepest recesses ir
lorest for hiding-place. When
ak q II, It seems strange that they
notshow more dread of our pres
s On the farm, and shun our society
aeelher. But l attribute it more tt
efs kindness to the dumb creature,
" y any other cause. He woult
70 iood regularly for them near tn,
q the forest, where they could ea
nsnout coming entirely out of thei
aral hiding-place.. In the winter
several of the pretty animals coult
ssa pear their feeding-place, dart
.O0ut gracefully over the snow, an,
anng themselves at home as much a
asy we're thousands of miles from
aa0ltation, It was a sight. jus
se sunset on clear, cold, wintr
make q sportsman's heart lea
y Joy, A well-directed shot fror
sao0rway Of the house could hav
~ any one Of the playful creature
nN \ had time to get away.
~ game IN the woods several mile
ss0u1a Ct Us was being slaughtere
season at an astonishing rate
sse fpm the city came out i
A accompanied by their dog.
"oufed the woods for weeks at
Flng back with them as trt
: sae tails of more than a doze
Is y. and squirrels, and probably tn
- .s. several deer. The country roun
s.. a became notorious among tn
- s and every year the number {
sfnen increased.
aer' with his sensitive feeling
s. snlng the wild animals, natural
mi s"aslderably exasperated at thi
~. = placed signs in all prominer
- 9 q his farm, warningsall tire
o1 the land under. penalty
81 - :. g strictly did he enforce IL
,ss - s1scf the law gave him that Il
s,as and trappers in the vicinil
xns.a Their first duty to warn
"a " nom the city not to chase IL
k... su1lner than the edge of tt
d. =. s''o animals seemed to take tt
~ and they flocked into the DIT
8 Il woods in great numbers. 1t
49, sas q refuge for them, and it d
taem long to understand Il